Stern vs. the GMs — it’s business

David Stern might be right. “I think you’re going to be getting to see some of the greatest basketball ever played,” he said when asked recently about the LeBron-Bosh-Wade Heat.

That’s also what Stern should say. It’s his job to sell his product, and the same Miami team that comes to San Antonio this weekend will do that for him.

What is more curious, however, is what the league’s general managers said in their annual survey. They favored the Lakers over the Heat for the title, and Kevin Durant over LeBron James for MVP.

Why?

Maybe because this is about their business, too.

The annual NBA.com GM Survey hasn’t always been accurate, but it’s telling of the mood in front offices. The Spurs, for example, were often mentioned among the favorites, and Gregg Popovich often received special recognition.

This time? The Spurs registered, just not as they once did.

But that isn’t the news of this survey. Instead, it’s about how NBA executives see the Lakers vs. Heat debate. About two thirds predicted the Lakers would win the title, about a third said the Heat.

That’s not illogical, since the Lakers are the defending champs. Maybe Miami needs a year to come together, though Kobe’s knee might need more time than that.

The MVP vote, however, extended the theme. Then Durant was the overwhelming choice, getting 67 percent of the votes. Bryant was second with 26 percent.

And James, who was merely last season’s league MVP? He got just one vote.

Again, there’s an argument for that. Splitting the glory and the stats with Dwyane Wade, maybe LeBron will split the votes, too.

But there’s likely something else going on. The GMs can’t like a new world where superstars come together on their own, changing the face of a league. Deciding who plays with whom, after all, has always been the job of a general manager.

So excitement? Anticipation? Stern is the one in position to root for that.